| In a happy coincidence, two decidedly different film festivals – both with a connection to Asian culture – are about to converge on the city.
The first is the inaugural Asian Heritage Film Festival (AHFF), which features four films by Asian-Canadian women in celebration of Asian Heritage Month.
The highlights of AHFF include two documentaries – Nisha Pahuja’s Bollywood Bound, which follows four Indo-Canadian women through the fast-paced world of Bombay’s film industry, and Arlene Ami’s Say I Do, about the trials and tribulations of three Filipino mail-order brides struggling to adjust to life in Canada.
The festival culminates with a panel discussion between Pahuja, Ami and Linda Ohama (Obachan’s Garden) on May 25 at 1 p.m. For information call Darice at 630-6800.
Meanwhile, the fifth annual Otafest, a celebration of Japanese animation and East Asian culture, will feature more than 60 screenings in five theatres, as well as Go demonstrations, anime workshops, a silent auction and, for the first time ever, a Cosplay (or Costume Play) contest, in which fans are encouraged to dress up like their favourite anime characters.
The festival will feature a reprise screening of Studio Ghibli’s Academy Award-winning Spirited Away, as well as audience favourites like Full Metal Panic and FLCL. Moreover, the festival aims to introduce participants to the philosophy of complementary opposites embodied in the Asian concepts of Yin and Yang, ideally bridging the gap between Eastern and Western cultures in the process.
For more information, check the Web site at www.otafest.com or e-mail info@otafest.com. |
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